PNEG History
The first national continuing education conference for nursing CE educators was held in 1969. It was sponsored by the Medical College of Virginia and held in Williamsburg, VA. The conference was attended by 82 participants from colleges and universities, hospitals and regional medical centers. This was the beginning of an annual fall conference for continuing educators, staff educators and now all nursing faculty involved in professional development. For many years it was the ANA’s conference for the Council of Continuing Education.
The PNEG conference has now become an itinerant conference that is hosted by colleges and universities around the country. Since 1969, national conferences have been held allowing nurse educators to interact, to share concerns and experiences, discuss issues, and learn of the latest advances in the field. Early conferences were planned for nurses responsible for continuing education, and over time included staff development educators. With the establishment of ANA’s Council for Professional Nursing Education and Development, the conferences focused on professional development for all educators – hospital, school of nursing, specialty organizations, entrepreneurs and continuing education. When the ANA’s councils were discontinued, educators who had attended the Council on Continuing Education’s annual conference grouped together to form what is now know as PNEG – professional nurse educators group.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world;
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
~ Margaret Mead ~